self-harm mentions and SA

hospital

Adelaide laid across her hospital bed. They defeated Pennywise less than 24 hours ago. They had to come up with a lie, as to why they were all injured in some form. They all agreed that they went too fast down a hill and crashed their bikes. It wasn't clear how much the nurses and doctors believed them, but they still treated them.

Adelaide had gotten a concussion, obviously. It was a pretty serious one at that. One side of her head was wrapped to prevent any more blood loss. She still remembered most of what happened the previous night, it was hard to forget. Some parts were blank, but she got the idea.

The door was opened and it was Richie. "Hey Ads," he said, as he shut the door behind him.

She smiled. "Hey," she said quietly. Her head still hurt, still felt like her head was gonna explode.

"How're you feeling?"

"It's okay," she admitted. "Well, it will be. I just need more rest."

Richie pulled up the chair and sat beside her, he just nodded. "Well, whenever you're released we're planning on meeting up. To talk about what happened," he explained. "Do you remember everything?"

She nodded. "I think so," she said. "At least up until Bill found Georgie's jacket."

"That's when you blacked out," he told her and shook his head. "What did Stanley mean?"

She tilted her head. "What?"

"When he was attacked, you told him it was okay," he explained. "He said it wasn't and you should know that better than anyone."

She shook her head. She knew exactly what he meant, but she couldn't tell Richie that. No way. Stanley knew that was enough. Stanley knew about the scars on her wrist, and what she did to herself. Richie was waiting for an answer. "I don't know, Rich," she told him.

He sighed. "You're lying. You can tell me." He assured her. "I'm your best friend, you can trust me."

It wasn't that she didn't trust him. She didn't want anyone to know. She didn't want Stanley to know, he figured it out. "It's nothing, Richie."

He shook his head. "You've been lying to us, about more than just this one thing. I know Stanley knows whatever it is, he asked you, that day at the quarry. With Bev and everything," he said. "I'm just... I'm confused Ads. Why are you keeping so much from us? There's something with Bowers too."

"Bowers?"

He sighed. "The rock war, before it started. Bowers was mocking Beverly, about how we just have to 'ask nicely', but you," he said. "Bowers said 'he didn't forget about you what the hell happened?"

She looked down. "Richie... I..." she went silent.

"I deserve to know, they all do. Especially after, Pennywise," he said.

"I'm allowed to have my secrets," she said, looking at him. "I don't have to tell you anything."

"I wanna help you!" He snapped suddenly. "I wanna help you."

She had never seen Richie like this, acting serious and not making a joke. He was a good friend, they all were and she was, lying to them. "Rich..."

"Adelaide." He said before shaking his head. "What the fuck am I going on about?"

"What?"

"I need to tell you something," he said suddenly. She was taken aback, Richie didn't have secrets. She knew, or she thought she knew everything about him, he was easy to read. He was easy to understand.

She was staring at him. "What is it?"

"Fuck," was all he said, taking his glasses off and wiping his face.

"Richie... are you okay?" She asked quietly.

"This is really fucking hard... to say," he said. "I haven't told anyone, you can't tell anyone, including our friends. And you can't hate me."

"I promise."

He shook his head and put his glasses back on. "I'm um..." he said and looked down, she reached for his hand, holding it softly. "I like Eddie."

"Eddie?" She questioned. "But he's a guy?"

Richie looked at her and just stared. "Yeah... I know."

She was confused for a second before it clicked. "Oh..." she said quietly.

"Yeah... there you go. My secret," he said quietly. "I like guys..."

"Richie, there's nothing wrong with that," she said. He turned to look at her again, he was shocked she said that. Like he expected her to hate him for it. "What?"

"You... think it's okay?" He asked quietly.

She nodded. "Why wouldn't I? There's nothing wrong with it. It doesn't change anything."

He smiled and she squeezed his hand, before letting it go. "Thank you."

She nodded. "You don't have to thank me for human decency. If anyone ever says anything about it, just let me know okay?"

He nodded. "Okay, yeah. Okay." He said with a smile.

There was a long silence, a few minutes at the least. Until Adelaide sighed deeply. "I... cut my wrists. Or I did. Stanley found out, saw my wrists during school or something, and asked me about it."

He looked at her and shook his head. "Ads..."

"I know," she said, nodding slightly. "It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," he reassured her. "But... why?"

She looked down. "Why not?" She asked. "Richie, my parents fucking hate me, I killed my sister—"

He shook his head. "Addie, your sister was not your fault."

"Yes it was," she said. "Bowers he um... pushed himself on me, once. It was only once. That's just... when it started, the cutting."

"You mean he?" He asked. Richie knew exactly what it meant.

She nodded. "Yeah... exactly..." she said quietly.  "Anyways um, with the cutting it's been a few months, I've really been trying, Rich."

"There are better way's to cope, I just make jokes about everything. Make people laugh," he said. "I find joy in it and it distracts me, from everything fucked up in my life."

"I guess I could try it," she said, with a small grin.

"And, I know I make a lot of jokes, like a lot. And it seems like I can't take anything seriously but Addie if you ever need someone just to talk to. I live down the street," he said, looking at her. "You have me."

She nodded. "I know, I have a lot. I've started to realize that recently."

He nodded. "Anyways to lighten the mood," he said, getting her attention. "You and Bill?"

"What about him?"

He smiled. "I'm not stupid, you clearly like him and he clearly likes you."

She smiled and fiddled with her fingers. "You think so?"

"He was worried about you, I was with them before I came here," he said. "He helped me with you... after you blacked out."

She smiled and looked at him. She really liked Bill, she could admit that now.

A/N:
Lots of dead roses updates this week. This is a sweet chapter between Richie and Adelaide, I hope you enjoyed it.